The Problems With High Stakes Testing Persuasive Essay by Nicky
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Description:
The paper presents the argument that standardized tests do not encourage students to apply critical thinking, do not necessarily promote the best students and there are better assessments available. The paper posits that there is a place for standardized tests in data collection, allowing educators to determine how students as a whole--in a class, school, state, or country are performing--but they should not be used to promote or graduate students.
From the Paper:
"Jeff Lantos (2006), an elementary school teacher and Los Angeles Times opinion column writer, calls critical thinking "making connections," arguing that the best teachers are those who encourage their students to make connections among the different facts that they are exposed to each day. According to Lantos (2006), "Endless test preparation shrinks the context. It reduces inquiry. It mitigates against Socratic dialogue and can drain much of the passion from teaching and learning" (Lantos, 2006, para. 3). What Lantos (2006) argues is that, in the real world and in the college environment, students have to learn how to think critically in order to get ahead. They must make connections when deciding how to solve problems and make good decisions. For instance, a person attempting to design a marketing campaign to get the greatest number of new clients for his or her corporation needs to know more than the characteristics of the potential clients' businesses, their needs, and what appeals to them aesthetically. Instead, they need to know how to connect these facts in order to create an innovative advertisement that makes a difference. According to Lantos (2006), high-stakes testing does not encourage the development of this kind of knowledge. Lantos (2006) argues that programs that include standardized tests as assessment are focused on teaching test-preparation, a method of teaching that does not encourage critical thinking, but instead just the collection of knowledge."Sample of Sources Used:
- Fleming, Jacqueline. (2000). Affirmative Action and Standardized Test Scores. The Journal of Negro Education. Retrieved from Find Articles: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3626/is_200001/ai_n8882179/
- Geisinger, K.F. (2005). The Testing Industry, Ethnic Minorities, and Individuals With Disabilities. In R.P. Phelps (Ed.), Defending Standardized Testing. (pp. 187-204).
- Goodman, D. and Hambleton, R.K. (2005). Some Misconceptions About Large-Scale Educational Assessments. In R.P. Phelps (Ed.), Defending Standardized Testing. (pp. 91-110). New York: Routledge.
- Lantos, J. (2006, Sept. 16). Critical Thinking is Critical. Retrieved August 11, 2009, from the Los Angeles Times: http://articles.latimes.com/2006/sep/16/opinion/oe-lantos16
- Ohio Department of Education. (n.d.). What are some types of student assessment and what student evidence can they generate? Retrieved August 12, 2009 from the Ohio Department of Education web site: http://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ODE/IMS/Assessment/FAQ/types_of_assessment.asp
Cite this Persuasive Essay:
APA Format
The Problems With High Stakes Testing (2012, January 30)
Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/persuasive-essay/the-problems-with-high-stakes-testing-150290/
MLA Format
"The Problems With High Stakes Testing" 30 January 2012.
Web. 23 March. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/persuasive-essay/the-problems-with-high-stakes-testing-150290/>